Final answer:
The manifest function of school is A. to teach knowledge and skills. This includes teaching academic subjects and preparing students for future societal and economic roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The manifest function of school is to teach knowledge and skills.
Within the educational system, especially in schools in the United States, manifest functions are the intended and visible outcomes of the schooling process. These include the formal transmission of knowledge, preparation for the workforce, and the inculcation of societal values. Functionalists argue that one of the primary purposes of schools is to educate students, which includes teaching them basic academic skills such as reading and writing, as well as more complex subjects like math, science, and social studies. These educational functions also extend to teaching more abstract concepts such as social norms, ethics, and values that are deemed necessary for the stable functioning of society.
When we analyze the specific options provided to the student, option A, 'to teach knowledge and skills,' aligns closely with the concept of function in the context of education as defined by sociologists like Émile Durkheim. Schools act as socialization agencies that prepare students for future roles in society, including economic roles.
While making friends, instilling ethics and values, and keeping children off the streets might be considered functions of school, they are often referred to as latent or secondary functions rather than the primary, manifest function.